Slicing machine



Jan. 7, 1930. w. J. CAMPBELL SLIGING MACHINE Filed June ll. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet Jam 7, 193@ W'I J, CAMPBELL 1342,57@

SLICING MACHINE Filed June 1l. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'Jafar/@yx Patented J@ 7, 1930 WILLEM l'. CAMPBELL, 0F INDANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIG-NOR, T0 AMERICA SLIING' MACHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLNOIS, A CORPRATION F NEW YRK SLICING MACHINE Application filed June `11,

My invention relates to a slicing machine of the type in which arctary knife is employed and is particularly applicable to use with a motor driven rotary knife. One object of the invention is to provide a simple,

elicient and easily operated slicing machine.

Another object is to provide a machine in which a carriage or work supporting member is so formed and so shaped as to take pieces of maximum size for slicing. Another object is the provision of means for positioning a round or rounded piece of meat at the desired point onthe meat carriage and for preventing any tendency thereof to roll out of place and away from the rearvaoutment of the carriage; Another object is the provision of an improved 'pusher plate.

Other objects will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and 2@ claims.

l illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings7 wherein- Figure l is a front elevation of' my deas vice; j

I igure 2 is a section Figure l;

lfigure 3 is a top plan view with parts broken away; and

Figure 4- is a front view of a variant form.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawings.

A generally indicates the base of the slicing machine having the supporting members or yielding supporting pads A1.

ltlounted on the base is a motor generally indicated as B with the motor shaft B1 upon which is any suitable pulley B2 about which passes the belt B3.

C generally indicates a rotary knife mounted upon the knife shaft C1. Associated with it is a pulley C2 about which passes the belt B3. i The details of knifea knife bearing and the like form of themselves no part of the 4present invention and need not be described in detail.

lositioned forwardly of the knife is the guard plate D which is provided with an arcuate edge B1 which penetrates the forward recess C3 of the knife. lt will be observed along the line 2 2 of 1928. Serial No. 284,294.

that the knife axis, while lying in a. horizontal plane, is tilted somewhat from perpendicularity to the guard plate D, in order y to bring the cutting arc of the knife forwardly into or in front of the guard plate D;

Mounted on thebase A in any suitable manner is a gauge plate E `which terminates adjacent the knife in an arcuate edge El conforming generally to the arc of the knife. The gauge plate E may be positioned in a 'variety of ways but I illustrate it as mounted upon a housing member E2 which is movable along a diagonal aXis upon the frame5 being controlled in any suitable manner in response to rotation .of the knob E3. lt will be understood that at all positions of adjustment the gauge plate lies in planes generally parallel with the plane of the guard plate D.

Positioned on the base forwardly of gauge and guard plate is the inclined track Gr herein shown as of circular cross-section and mounted at its ends on the supports G1 G1. G2 is a centering or guide track herein shown as positioned beneath the track as of rectangular cross-section. Mounted for movement along saidtracks is 'the meat carriage generally indicated as H.

lt includes a base portion H1 in actual engagement with the track G and a depending portion H2 in engagement with the guide .track G2. lll.3 indicates any suitable adjusting means whereby the carriage H 4may be centered upon or slightly rotated about the track G in order to adjust the position of the carriage in yrelation to the gauge and guard plate.

Mounted upon the top of the carriage is a plane surfaced plate ltll-t which terminates at the side normally farthest from the knife in an upwardly turned flange H5 generally perpendicular tothe portion Ht. H generally indicates a lateral extension from the carriage upon which is mounted a pusher plate guide pin l-l" and a second pusher 'plate guide pin lilg, the two being herein shown as in vertical alignment.

Mounted for movement on the carriage transversely of its path of reciprocation is a. pusher plate structure generally indicated as il. lt includes a handle member J1 associated cates a spring1 with which are bearing sleeves J 2 J a about the guide pins H7 H8. he upper sleeve J2 is shown as of considerablygreater length than the lower sleeve J 3 in order to prevent binding upon t-he two` pins. Extending from the handle portion J1 across the top of the plate H4 is the lateral extension J 4 to the outer end of which as at J5 is pivoted the pusher plate proper J 6. This pusher plate 1s provided with a lower edge conforming generally to the face of the carriage plate H" but being provided for example at one corner with the roughened portion or teeth J7. If desired these teeth may extend across the whole lower edge of the plate. The plate J 6, being pivoted to the arm J 4, isprovided with a thumb piece or handle member J8 whereby it may be lifted or rotated about its pivot. J 9 indior any other suitable yielding means w ereby the plate is normally thrust into the lower limit position in which it is shown in Figure 1.

r It is not allowed, normall to engage the opposed surface of the plate t, an abutment J10 being provided on the arm J t to receive .the corresponding abutting member J 11 of the face plate. J12 indicates an adjustment whereby the adjustment of the pusher plate at its lowest position may be made. In order to guide the pusher plate in its rotation to hold it, during such rotation, in the desired plane, I provide a guide J14 on lthe pusher plate which engages therounded or reduced portion Js of the arm J4 by the slot Jm. This is indicated as an example of a practical mechanism but applicant does not wish to be limited specifically to these various details.

Referring to Figure e, which illustrates a modified form of my device, instead of pivoting the plate JG to the end of the arm J"i I interpose a plurality of links K K1 whereby when the plate is rotatedv on said links the entire width of the plate moves in unison and the distance between the bottom of the pusher plate and the opposed face 'of the carriage plate is uniform.

It will be realizedy that whereas I have described and shown a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes might be made in size, shape, number and disposition ofparts without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings to he taken as in a broad. sense illustrative and diagrammatic'rather than as limiting4 me to my specific showing.

'lhe use and operation oi my invention are as follows:

I provide a form oie slicing machine in which a rotary motor driven knife is empioyed and in which the meat or other work is conveyed past the cutting edge or arc of the knife, upon a meat carriage which is guided along an inclined path by the tracks and G2, the cutting stroke being up the incline. and the down or return excursion being down the incline. If desired the inclination of the tracks may be such as to cause the meat carriage to return to its initial position artly or entirely in response to gravity. n any case the inclination, in conjunction with the fiat bottom plate H4 of the carriage and the edge flange H5 thereof, serves to hold the work at they junction of the members H4 H Thus `when slicing circular pieces of material, such as sausages or rolls of meat, the pitch or inclination of the meat carriage is sufficient to'hold such circular pieces atthe rear corner oi the plate H4 and in contact with the flange H5.' Not only does this save time, but it insures a cleaner slice, since the flange H5, by abutting against the meat slice, prevents the tracking of the slice and the formation of fringes on themeat being sliced.

Furthermore, by the employment of the flat plate H4 I largely increase the capacity of the device as compared to the prior devices in which a V-shaped trough is employed. In decrusting a loaf of bread, for example, or cutting the rind from a piece of bacon, the bread or the bacon can be laid on the dat surface H4 and cut at one stroke or operation. In employing the pusher plate I may use it as a pusher plate pure and simple, in which case the plate is 1n the position shownin full line in Figure l.

On the other hand I may wish to use the plate as a clamp to hold down a small piece of meat. In such case I litt the plate or rotate it, for exampleby engaging the member J8 with the thumb, and then permit the spring J? to thrust the plate downwardly against the work. In such case the teeth J 7 tend to clamp the work in position. ln the form of- Figure l the clam-ping action is exerted only by the inner portion ofthe pusher plate, since the pivot J5 constrains the outer end to a close approach to the plate Ht. ln the variant form shown in Figure 4, the entire plate may be lifted as shown in dotted lines and its entire lower edge, or any point thereof, may exert the above described clamping actief.

I claim:

l. In a slicing machine which includes a rotary knife andmeans for rotating it and a. gauge plate adjacent said knife and a carriage movable across said gauge plate andknife, a pusher plate for said carriage and means for guiding it transversely of the path ofinovement ofthe carriage, the pusher plate being in pivotal relation with. the carriage for rotation about an axis generally parallel with the path of movement of the plate, and

means for normally holding said pusher plate 1n position with its lower edge closely adja cent the opposed top ot the carriage, and adjusting means for limiting the movement of the pusher plate toward the carriage in response tosaid holding means.

2. In a-slicing machine which includes e.

means rotary knife and means for rotating it and a gauge plate adjacent said knifeanda car riage movable Aacross said gauge plate and knife, a pusher plate for said carriage and means lor guiding it transversely of the path of movement of the carriage, a supporting arm for said pusher plate, extending across the carriage, the pusher plate being in pivotal relation with said arm, an abutment on said arm and an abutment on said pivot plate, the abutments being positioned to maintain the lower edge of the pusher plate in close proX- imity to the opposed face ot the carria e.

3.ln a slicing machine which inclu es a rotary knife and means for rotating it and a gauge plate adjacent said knife and a carriage movable across, said gauge plate and knife, a pusher plate for said carriage and means for guiding it transversely of the path of movement of the carriage, a supporting arm for said pusher plate, extending across the carriage, the pusher plate being in pivotal relation with said arm, an abutment 0n said arm and an abutment on said pivot plate, the abutments being positioned to maintain the lower edge of the pusher plate in close prokimity to the opposed tace of the carriage, and an adjusting member associated with said abutments. Y

d. ln a slicing machine which includes a rotary knife and means for rotating it and a gauge plate adjacent said knife and a carriage movable across said gauge?. plate and knife, a pusher plate for said carriage and means tor guiding it transversely oi' the path of movement of the carriage, a supporting arm for said pusher plate, extending across the carriage, the pusher plate being in pivoted relation with said arm, an abutment on said arm and an abutment on said pivot plate, the abutments being positioned to maintain the lower edge ot the pusher plate in close proximity to the opposed tace of the car riage, and yielding means 'for normally thrusting the pusher' plate downwardly against the abutment on said arm.,

5. in a slicing machine including a rotary knife and means for rotating it, a. guard plate positioned forwardly of said knife, and a gauge plate, a carriage and means :for guiding said carriage across said gauge plate and guard plate along a path generally parallel with guard and gauge plates, but inclined upu wardly toward the cutting edge ot the knife, said carriage including a bottom supporting member lying in a plane generally perpendicular to guard and gauge plate and in clined in general parallelism with the inclination ot the path of said carriage and a lateral wall extending upwardly along the lower edge olf said bottom supporting member, said lateral wall lying in a plane generally perpendicular to the plane ot said guard and gauge plates, the upper edge oi said supporting member opposite said wall being unobstructed..

6. In a slicing machine including a rotary knife and means for rotating it, a guard plate positioned 'forwardly of said knife, and a gaugeplate, a carriage and means 'for guiding said carriage across said gauge plate and guard plate along a path generally parallel with guard and gauge plates, but inclined upwardly toward the cutting edge of the knife, said carriage including a bottom from the cutting plane ot the knife alon Y a path generally perpendicular to guard an gauge plates.

7. ln slicing machine including a rotary knife and means for -rotating it, a guard plate positioned orwardly ot said knife, and a gauge plate, a carriage and means :tor guiding said carriage across said gauge plate and guard plate along a path generally parallel withguard and gauge plates, but inclined upwardly toward the cutting Vedge ot the knife, said carriage including a bottom supporting member lying in a plane generally perpendicular to guard and gauge platevand inclined in general parallelism with the inclination ot the path ci said carriage and a lateral wall extending upwardly along the lower edge oit said bottom supporting menaber, said .lateral wall lying in a plane generally perpendicular to the plane ci" said guard and gauge plates, the 'upper edge oi said supporting member opposite said wall being unobstructed and a pusher plate mounted on said carriage and means "for guiding it 'for movement toward and away from the cutting plane el the knife along a path-'genn erally perpendicular to guard and gauge plates, said pusher plate being pivoted in relation to said guiding means itor rotation about an anis generally parallel with the path ot movement oithe pusher plate.,

8. ln a slicing machine which includes a rotary kniete and means ier rotating it, a'v

gauge plate adjacent said knife, and a carriage movable across the faces oit the gauge plate and knife, a pusher plate lying in a plane generally parallel with the plane oil the gauge plate and movable on said carriage, to-

ward and away from the cutting plane olf the knife, a support lor said pusher plate, and means tor guiding it along a path transverse to the path of movement of the carriage, said support extending transversely across the upper face of said carriage, means for holding said support against rotation, the pusher plate being pivoted to said support to render the bottom edge of said plate adjustable toward and rom'the adjacent plane of the carriage.

Signed at Indianapolis, county of Marion and State of Indiana, this 6th day of June,

WILLIAM J. CAMPBELL. 

